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Chanidgarh, January 30 The Verma Commission of Inquiry looking into prohibition ordered in Haryana during the previous Haryana Vikas Party Government, has summoned former Chief Minister Bansi Lal and his Excise Taxation and Prohibition Minister Ganeshi Lal for personal appearance on February 5. Shoe company gets notice Authorities blind to school for visually impaired Rs 21.36 cr to be spent on
education schemes for SCs Security in Haryana jails reviewed |
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Drive against drug trafficking launched Hartron shuts two Gurgaon centres Writer files suit against ‘Khakee’ director Stop anti-employee policies, warn leaders 9.3-cr vermiculture project launched Woman robbed of
jewellery, cash Students seek postponement of exam
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Verma panel summons Bansi Lal, Ganeshi Lal Chanidgarh, January 30 Mr Ganeshi Lal is the President of the Haryana BJP. Considered close to Mr Bansi Lal’s family, he had reportedly opposed the withdrawal of support to the HVP Government in 1998. Of late, the Haryana Vikas Party had softened its stand towards the NDA Government at the Centre in its endeavour for a possible tie-up with the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Besides Mr Bansi Lal, his son, Mr Surinder Singh, has been asked to appear before the commission on the same day. With the Lok Sabha elections not far off, the summoning of Mr Bansi Lal, Mr Surinder Singh and Mr Ganeshi Lal has assumed tremendous political significance. Though the functioning of the commission and the recording of evidence by it may not have any thing to do with the current political environment in the state, the timing of the summons is significant. Only yesterday, the ruling INLD had swept the byelections to the Dabwali and Bahadurgarh, municipal committees maintaining that in some areas, a Congress had joined hands with the BJP in opposing the INLD-supported candidates. Mr Bansi Lal, Mr Surinder Singh and Mr Ganeshi Lal can send their representatives to appear before the commission. While serving the summons on them, the commission has maintained that some new facts have come to its notice with regard to the enforcement of prohibition in the state. As such it wanted to seek their comments and explanations. Mr Bansi Lal, Mr Surinder Singh and Mr Ganeshi Lal have also been allowed to examine the records at the office of the commission. In all probability, the summoned politicians are likely to depute their counsel for the February 5 appearance. |
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Shoe company gets notice Gharaunda (Karnal), January 30 It is learnt that the local municipal council had served several notices on the company to deposit the house tax for the financial year 2000-20001 amounting to Rs 10,29,633 but, as on date, the amount had not been deposited with the local body. Meanwhile, it was learnt that the MC had decided to approach the district administration to pass orders under the Land Revenue Act to attach the properties of Liberty Shoes and its allied companies to recover the tax amount. According to the details available, for the financial year 2000-2001, a sum of Rs 1,03,915 was due against house tax from the Liberty Group Marketing Division, Rs 3,56,996 from Liberty Leathers, Rs 3,09,101 from Liberty Enterprises, Rs 1,27,484 from Liberty Shoes, Rs 1,00,610 from Liberty Tanners and Rs 31,527 from Liberty Agriculture Farm. These companies were served several notices to deposit the amount but they failed to comply with the orders of the local body, said an MC official. He said repeated notices were issued to these companies on December 19, 2003, January 5, 2004, January 14, 2004, and January 19, 2004, to deposit the amount. Notices were even fixed on the main gate of these companies when they did not accept the notices, the official added. The legal adviser of Liberty Shoes and its allied companies, Mr Ashok Kumar Rana, said he had filed an application before the district administration on behalf of a partner of these companies today to review the rates of house tax in the Gharaunda block in comparison to other areas of the district. “We are ready to deposit the amount provided the rates of house tax applicable in this subdivision are slashed as per the industry rates”, he said. He said the rates of property in Gharaunda were lesser than Karnal but the rate of house tax was much higher. This needed to be reviewed by the district administration. However, Mr Bhupinder Singh, Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) of Karnal, said Liberty Shoes and its allied companies had filed an appeal before his court against the notices issued by the MC to recover the house tax but that was dismissed last year. Liberty Shoes and its allied companies did not file any appeal before the District Magistrate’s court or the Commissioner’s court within the stipulated time, he added. When contacted over telephone, Mr A. Gupta, Executive Director of Liberty Shoes, said, “The matter is subjudice, so I cannot comment on it.” TNS also tried to contact Mr Ramesh Kumar, auditor of Liberty Shoes, but he was not available for comments. |
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Authorities blind to school for visually impaired Panipat, January 30 When this correspondent visited the school and the hostel along with a senior teacher of the school, an employee was spotted slapping a girl who had asked for meals. It may be mentioned that sweepers are preparing the meals for the students. Narrating his tale of woes, a Class XI student said the students were not getting hygienic meals for the past six months since sweepers were unable to prepare proper meals.’ Two students had been admitted to the PGI, Rohtak, due to severe stomach ailment, he added. Giving details about lack of facilities, a Class X student said due to inadequate number of beds, the students were being forced to share beds. Due to cracks in the roof, conditions become worse during the rainy season. A Class VIII student said three computers installed for the students were being used by staff for administrative work. The students are not allowed to use the computers or tape-recorders purchased for them. Girls said living conditions in their hostel were even worse. When contacted, District Social Welfare Officer B.S. Chahal said “I have got a complaint from the students. Today, I discussed the matter with the Deputy Commissioner who has agreed to provide two cooks.” He said the school authorities had written a letter to the government for the recruitment of a permanent cook. |
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Rs 21.36 cr to be spent on
education schemes for SCs Karnal, January 30 A spokesman of the Haryana Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Nigam said that these schemes were being implemented in the state for the promotion of education as well as for reduction of the dropout rate of students belonging to these classes. He said a sum of Rs 20.96 crore had been spent on these schemes during the year. These students were being provided scholarships, books, stationery, uniforms, hostel facilities and special coaching as part of these schemes. Giving details, he said the children of persons engaged in sanitation work were being provided scholarships ranging from Rs 40 to Rs 75 per person per month as well as ad hoc grant of Rs 550 per student per year. The students belonging to the scheduled castes and the backward classes were being provided scholarships ranging between Rs 90 and Rs 425 per student per month. Besides this, students of the Scheduled castes who achieved the first position in post-matric and postgraduate classes and in medical, engineering and veterinary courses were being provided merit incentives between Rs 1000 and Rs 2000. He said the students belonging to the scheduled castes were also being provided special coaching for improving their educational level. Those residing in the rural areas were even being provided free hostel facilities. These students were further being provided Rs 700 per month as scholarships for getting admission to renowned educational institutions, Rs 2000 per year for purchase of books and Rs 1500 per year for the purchase of stationery items. |
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Security in Haryana jails reviewed Hisar, January 30 According to sources, Mr Bhatotia asked them to make
took proof arrangements in the jails to rule out incidents of prisoners trying to escape. He directed them to keep a close vigil on hardcore criminals and ensure regular checking of all barracks on a regular basis. Giving the recent example of the Burail jail incident, he said criminals involved in a case should not be lodged in the same barrack. He also said inmates should be shifted from one barrack to the other on a regular basis and directed the jail superintendents to coordinate with the district police to ensure strict security outside the jails. He said recently four inmates had escaped from the local Bostern jail and such incidents should not be allowed to repeat. He assured that the state government would provide funds for tightening security arrangements in prisons, besides advanced weapons to jail staff. He also took a feedback from the jail superintendents regarding security arrangements in the jails. |
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Drive against drug trafficking launched Fatehabad, January 30 Mr Saurabh Singh said the police had also launched a special drive against betting under which 179 cases were registered and 223 persons arrested in January alone. He said the police had received a feedback regarding betting on cricket matches too and the police was studying the modus operandi being used by the betters. |
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Hartron shuts two Gurgaon centres Chandigarh, January 30 The 180 staff members employed in these units have been asked to shift to the Instrument Design and Development Centre (IDDC) in Ambala. All the machineries installed in the units are also being shifted to IDDC, Ambala. The decision to shut down the Gurgaon centres was carried out following recommendations made by the Board of Directors of Hartron in its meeting here last month. As per the recommendation of the Board, 3.5 acres area, vacated following the shifting of ERDC and PMDF, would be now used for setting up of telecommunication technology park, a senior Hartron official said. The loss incurred by the two centres in the 2002-04 period was estimated to be over Rs 2 crore. |
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Writer files suit against ‘Khakee’ director Gurgaon, January 30 Writer Brijan Gaur, claiming to be a member of the Filmmakers’ Association, Mumbai, has accused Santoshi and film’s producer Keshu Ramsey of violating the Copyright Act, the Patent Act and the Film and Cinematograph Act by lifting portions of “Khakee” from his story “Zokhim”. Gaur said he had met Santoshi in 1991 through a common friend in Mumbai where he had narrated “Zokhim” story to the director. He claimed he got his script registered with the Filmwriters’ Association in February 1992. On the other hand, Santoshi said Gaur’s claims were false and baseless and the story idea for “Khakee” was of writer Sridhar Raghavan. “Khakee” stars Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai and Tusshar Kapur, among others. Meanwhile, the court has fixed February 10 as the date of hearing of the case. — UNI
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Stop anti-employee policies, warn leaders Sirsa, January 30 The employees’ leader warned the state government to adjust employees of the Haryana Small Irrigation and Tubewell Corporation, stop privatisation and retrenchment policy immediately or else the government would face the consequence in the coming elections. He said that more than 20,000 employees had been retrenched so far whereas about 10,000 posts has been abolished by the government. He called upon employees to take part in the state-level workers’ conference on February 1 at Rohtak and also show their strength at a dharna in front of state Assembly on February 10. Employees’ joint action committee leaders Makkhan Lal, Avinash Chand, Ved Parkash and Mohinder in their address criticised the policies of the government and called upon the employees to take part in the February 24 strike. |
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9.3-cr vermiculture project launched Chandigarh, January 30 The project had been launched under the Swaran Jayanti Gram Swa-Rozgar Yojana. While the government would spend Rs 6.82 crore out of Rs 9.30 crore, the rest would be borne by the beneficiaries. The scheme would remain in operation for five years. Under the scheme, a vermi-compost unit would be set up in each village of the district and vermi-compost would be prepared to provide employment to families living below the poverty line. |
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Woman robbed of
jewellery, cash Ambala, January 30 According to information, a woman of a nearby village came to the jewellery shop along with her child to buy some jewellery for a marriage in the family. In the meantime, four women came there. They asked the jeweller to show them some earrings of the latest design. As soon as the jeweller went to bring some earrings and the customer became busy handling her child, the four women took away her bag. When the jeweller came back to the counter, he found that the four women had left. |
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Students seek
postponement of exam Rohtak, January 30 In a representation to the MDU authorities, the students have pointed out that the two tests are scheduled for February 14. They said the Karnataka test (COMEDK-2004) would be held at Bangalore and students from Haryana would not be able to reach there. They demanded postponement of the MDU test by a week.
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Front seeks
Advani’s resignation Ambala, January 30 |
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Water supply Ambala, January 30
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